Hinge construction



Jan. 19, 1943. J. G. JOACHIM 2,308,759

HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

JOSEPH GEORG E JOAOHIM A TTORN E YS Jan. 19, 1943. J. G. JOACHIM HINGECONSTRUCTION Filed May 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH GEORGE JOACHIM B I r w I a, I ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 19, 1943HINGE CONSTRUCTION Joseph George Joachim, Detroit, Mich., asslgnor toFerro Stamping & Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation ofMichigan Application May 20, 1940, Serial No. 336,265

2 Claims.

tion to provide a relatively simple, compact hinge having means formingan assembly therewith for assisting movement of the closure in one direction and for holding the closure in one extreme position ofadjustment.

Another advantageous feature of the present invention resides in theprovision of a hinge having a movable part and having spring actuatedlinkage secured as a unit on the hinge at opposite sides of the path oftravel of the movable part in such a manner as to not onlycounterbalance the weight of the closure to which the movable part ofthe hinge is connected, but to also effectively hold the closure in itsopen position.

Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of ahinge assembly of the type previously set forth capable of beinginexpensively manufactured, assembled and installed.

The foregoing, as well as other objects, will be made more apparent asthis description proceeds, especially when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of a vehicle bodyshowing my improved hinge assembly in side elevation;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the hinge assembly shown inFigure l Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the planeindicated by the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 44of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the plane indicated by theline 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the planeindicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, I have illustrated a portion of a swingingclosure l0 hingedly connected to a support H by means of a hingeassembly l2 forming the subject matter of this invention. The hingeassembly I2 is particularly applicable to vehicle bodies for pivotallyconnecting the rear deck closures to the adjacent body structure,although it may be used to advantage in supporting practically any typeof swinging closure having suflicient weight to render the use ofcounterbalancing means practical.

In detail, the hinge assembly is provided with a fixed bracket [3comprising a pair of laterally spaced plates I4 having transverseflanges I5 at the rear ends thereof attachable to the support H andhaving the opposite ends integrally connected by means of a transverseportion [6. In ordinary installations, the bracket I3 is secured to thesupport II in such a manner that the plates l4 lie in parallel verticalplanes and the transverse connecting portion I5 is arranged at the topof the two plates.

Pivotally supported on the bracket 13 for swinging movement between theplates I4 is a closure supporting arm l1. As shown in Figure 1, the armI1 is substantially U-shaped in elevation and one end of the arm ispivotally mounted on a pin 18 extending transversely through the platesI4 of the bracket adjacent the rear end of the bracket. One end of thepin I8 is formed with a shoulder engageable with the adjacent plate I4and the opposite end of the pin is riveted against the other plate l4.

In the present instance, the swinging arm is formed of a pair of sheetmetal stampings 20 welded or otherwise suitably secured in juxtapositionto each other and each stamping is reinforced throughout its length bymeans of a laterally outwardly embossed rib 2|. The ends of thestampings 20 opposite the ends engaging the pin I8 are bent laterallyoutwardly in the manner shown in Figure 5 and secured to the closure I0by the bolts 19.

In view of the fact that the above type of hinge finds particular use insupporting relatively heavy swinging closures, it is advantageous tocounterbalance the weight of the closure and to effectively hold theclosure in its raised or open position. The means for accomplishing thisresult in the present instance forms a unitary assembly with the hingeand comprises a pair of spring operated devices 22 supported on oppositesides of the path of swinging movement of the arm 2|. In detail, eachdevice 22 comprises a pair of links 23 and 24 having the adjacent endspivotally connected together by means of a pin 25. The opposite ends ofthe links 23 and 24 of each device 22 are respectively pivotallyconnected to the arm H and bracket l3. As shown in Figure 1, the freeends of the links 23 are respectively pivotally connected to oppositesides of the arm I! intermediate the ends of the latter by means of apin 26 extending transversely through the arm, and the correspondingends of the links 24 are pivotally connected to the opposite sides ofthe bracket I 3' adjacent the rear end of the latter by means of a pairof pins 2'! which, of course, are lnstalled so as not to interfere withthe movement of the arm relative to the bracket.

The above arrangement is such that when the closure I is in its closedposition, th links assume the relative positions thereof shown by thefull lines in Figure 1 and, when the closure is in its open position,the links assume the relative positions shown by the dot-dash lines inFigure 1. In detail, when the closure is in its closed position, theends of the links 23 connected to the arm IT by the pivot 26 assume aposition adjacent the rear ends of the links 24 and,.

when the closure is in its raised or open position, the links 23 assumepositions approaching alignment with the links 24.

Carried by the adjacent ends of each pair oi links is a spiral or clocktype spring 28 having the inner end secured in a transverse slot formedin the outer end of each pin 25 and having the opposite end loopedaround a transverse projection 29 formed on each link 23 by bending thelatter at right angles to its normal plane. It may be pointed out atthis time that the pins 25 are secured to the links 24 in a manner toprevent rotation of the pins relative to the links. Upon reference toFigure 6, it will be noted that the pins 25 are in the form of rivetshaving polygonally-shaped portions 30 engageable in correspondinglyshaped openings formed in the links 24.

Referring again to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that whenthe closure is in its closed position shown in Figure 1, the two springs28 apply a force on the links 23 in a direction tending to open theclosure I0 and these springs are of such strength that theysubstantially counterbalance the weight of the closure. As a result, theclosure may be readily raised to its open position shown by the dot anddash lines in Figur 1. The extent of movement of the closure to itsraised position is limited by a pair of stops 3! struck laterallyoutwardly from the plates It on the bracket and engageable with thebottom edges of the links 24 adjacent the swinging ends 7 of the latter.Itwill also be apparent from Figure 1 that when the closure is in itsopen position, the springs 28 exert an upward force on the links 23 andthereby hold th closure in its fully open position. Assuming that theclosure is now moved toward its closed position, it will be noted thatthe projections 29 on the links 23 react against the outer ends of thesprings 28 and effect a rewinding of the springs.

Thus, from the foregoing, it will be observed that I have provided arelatively simple, compact hinge construction wherein thecounterbalancing means forms an assembly with the hinge and is capableof being installed as a unit with the latter. It will further beobserved that the hinge assembly, including the counterbalancing means,is composed of a relatively few simple parts capable of beinginexpensively manufactured, assembled and installed.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A hinge assembly for pivotally mounting a closure on a support, saidhinge assembly comprising a fixed hinge part in the form of a bracketattachable to the support and having laterally spaced side walls, amovable hinge part in the form of an arm extending between the side.walls of the bracket and pivotally connected to the latter for swingingmovement relative to the bracket, a pair of links positionedon each sideof the bracket and having the inner ends thereof pivotally connectedtogether. means pivotally connecting the outer ends of the links to thebracket and arm respectively, a pair of spiral counterbalanclng springshaving the inner ends respectively connected to the pivotally connectedinner ends of the links and having the outer ends respectively engagingthe links connected to the arm tending to swing the latter in onedirection. relative to the bracket, and stops on opposite sides of thebracket positioned to respectively engage the links connected to thebracket to limit movement of the latter links by the springs.

2. A hinge assembly for pivotally mounting a closure on a support, saidhinge assembly comprising a fixed part in the form of a bracketattachable to the support, a movable part carried by the closure andpivotally connected to the fixed part for swinging movement relative tothe latter, a. link positionedon each side of the path of swingingmovement of the movable part and having the corresponding endsrespectively pivotally connected to opposite sides ofthe movable part, asecond link positioned on each side of the path of swinging movement ofthe movable part and having the opposite ends respectively pivotallyconnected to the iree ends of the first links and to the fixed part,each of the first mentioned links having a portion intermediate the endsthereof extending transversely of the path of swinging movement of themovable part to form transverse shoulders at opposite sides of themovable part, and a pair of spiral counterbalancing springs having theinner ends respectively connected to the pivotally connected ends of thelinks on each side of themovable part and having the outer endsrespectively engaging the transverse shoulders tending to swing themovable part in one direction relative to the fixed part.

JOSEPH GEORGE JQACHIM.

